2 Kings 10:32-12:21

32 In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael overpowered the Israelites throughout their territory33 east of the Jordan in all the land of Gilead (the region of Gad, Reuben and Manasseh), from Aroer by the Arnon Gorge through Gilead to Bashan.

34 As for the other events of Jehu’s reign, all he did, and all his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?

35 Jehu rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son succeeded him as king.36 The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

Athaliah and Joash

11 When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family.2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram[a] and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed.3 He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.

4 In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a hundred, the Carites and the guards and had them brought to him at the temple of the Lord. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the temple of the Lord. Then he showed them the king’s son.5 He commanded them, saying, “This is what you are to do: You who are in the three companies that are going on duty on the Sabbath—a third of you guarding the royal palace,6 a third at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guard, who take turns guarding the temple—7 and you who are in the other two companies that normally go off Sabbath duty are all to guard the temple for the king.8 Station yourselves around the king, each of you with weapon in hand. Anyone who approaches your ranks[b] is to be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.”

9 The commanders of units of a hundred did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one took his men—those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty—and came to Jehoiada the priest.10 Then he gave the commanders the spears and shields that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of the Lord.11 The guards, each with weapon in hand, stationed themselves around the king—near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.

12 Jehoiada brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him; he presented him with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and shouted, “Long live the king!”

13 When Athaliah heard the noise made by the guards and the people, she went to the people at the temple of the Lord.14 She looked and there was the king, standing by the pillar, as the custom was. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her robes and called out, “Treason! Treason!”

15 Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops: “Bring her out between the ranks[c] and put to the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be put to death in the temple of the Lord.”16 So they seized her as she reached the place where the horses enter the palace grounds, and there she was put to death.

17 Jehoiada then made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people that they would be the Lord’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.18 All the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.

Then Jehoiada the priest posted guards at the temple of the Lord.19 He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards and all the people of the land, and together they brought the king down from the temple of the Lord and went into the palace, entering by way of the gate of the guards. The king then took his place on the royal throne.20 All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was calm, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the palace.

Joash Repairs the Temple

12 [f]In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash[g] became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba.2 Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him.3 The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

4 Joash said to the priests, “Collect all the money that is brought as sacred offerings to the temple of the Lord—the money collected in the census, the money received from personal vows and the money brought voluntarily to the temple.5 Let every priest receive the money from one of the treasurers, then use it to repair whatever damage is found in the temple.”

6 But by the twenty-third year of King Joash the priests still had not repaired the temple.7 Therefore King Joash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and asked them, “Why aren’t you repairing the damage done to the temple? Take no more money from your treasurers, but hand it over for repairing the temple.”8 The priests agreed that they would not collect any more money from the people and that they would not repair the temple themselves.

9 Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid. He placed it beside the altar, on the right side as one enters the temple of the Lord. The priests who guarded the entrance put into the chest all the money that was brought to the temple of the Lord.10 Whenever they saw that there was a large amount of money in the chest, the royal secretary and the high priest came, counted the money that had been brought into the temple of the Lord and put it into bags.11 When the amount had been determined, they gave the money to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. With it they paid those who worked on the temple of the Lord—the carpenters and builders,12 the masons and stonecutters. They purchased timber and blocks of dressed stone for the repair of the temple of the Lord, and met all the other expenses of restoring the temple.

13 The money brought into the temple was not spent for making silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets or any other articles of gold or silver for the temple of the Lord;14 it was paid to the workers, who used it to repair the temple.15 They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty.16 The money from the guilt offerings and sin offerings[h] was not brought into the temple of the Lord; it belonged to the priests.

17 About this time Hazael king of Aram went up and attacked Gath and captured it. Then he turned to attack Jerusalem.18 But Joash king of Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his predecessors—Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah, the kings of Judah—and the gifts he himself had dedicated and all the gold found in the treasuries of the temple of the Lord and of the royal palace, and he sent them to Hazael king of Aram, who then withdrew from Jerusalem.

19 As for the other events of the reign of Joash, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?20 His officials conspired against him and assassinated him at Beth Millo, on the road down to Silla.21 The officials who murdered him were Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer. He died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. And Amaziah his son succeeded him as king.

Acts 18:1-22

In Corinth

18 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them,3 and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.6 But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

7 Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God.8 Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.

9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision:“Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”11 So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.

12 While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment.13 “This man,” they charged, “is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.”

14 Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, “If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you.15 But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.”16 So he drove them off.17 Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever.

Priscilla, Aquila and Apollos

18 Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken.19 They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.20 When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined.21 But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.22 When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.

Psalm 145

A psalm of praise. Of David.

1 I will exalt you, my God the King;I will praise your name for ever and ever.2 Every day I will praise youand extol your name for ever and ever.

3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;his greatness no one can fathom.4 One generation commends your works to another;they tell of your mighty acts.5 They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—and I will meditate on your wonderful works.[b]6 They tell of the power of your awesome works—and I will proclaim your great deeds.7 They celebrate your abundant goodnessand joyfully sing of your righteousness.

8 The Lord is gracious and compassionate,slow to anger and rich in love.

9 The Lord is good to all;he has compassion on all he has made.10 All your works praise you,Lord;your faithful people extol you.11 They tell of the glory of your kingdomand speak of your might,12 so that all people may know of your mighty actsand the glorious splendor of your kingdom.13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,and your dominion endures through all generations.

The Lord is trustworthy in all he promisesand faithful in all he does.[c]14 The Lord upholds all who falland lifts up all who are bowed down.15 The eyes of all look to you,and you give them their food at the proper time.16 You open your handand satisfy the desires of every living thing.

17 The Lord is righteous in all his waysand faithful in all he does.18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,to all who call on him in truth.19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;he hears their cry and saves them.20 The Lord watches over all who love him,but all the wicked he will destroy.

21 My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.Let every creature praise his holy namefor ever and ever.

Footnotes:

Psalm 145:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which (including verse 13b) begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

Psalm 145:5 Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text On the glorious splendor of your majesty / and on your wonderful works I will meditate

Psalm 145:13 One manuscript of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text do not have the last two lines of verse 13.